CAN you publish this letter in your widely view and read newspaper to help expose the alleged fraud, corruption in Belle Vue Co-op and the inept action and or corrupt behaviour, that appears to be going on, in the cooperative department and of the Ministry of Labour.  It appears, that some of these officers in the cooperative department have been ‘deliberately delaying their intervention ‘ as a ploy  to give this private contractor and Lumber Yard Dealer, time to occupy the co-op and farmers land, without the members and farmers permission.

Despite the farmers objections, he continues to occupy their land, cultivate cane and are now using this cane production as an excuse and bargaining points to gain unjust compromise and sympathy for his unjust and or illegal action.  It appears that some of these officials are only concerned and thinking about their individual interest and money and not the legal rights and livelihood of these farmers, their Co-operative Society and the farmers’ family interest.
Is this bullying, scare tactics or both?                                                                                                                            While this individual is refusing to stop working on the cooperative and members land it is reported, that his lawyer is  sending out notices, writs, etc… against the bona fide members, affected farmers and their representatives, that are making representation.  Also simultaneously, some of the officials in the Co-operative Department, in the Ministry of Labour, are calling and meeting some of the affected members individually and are encouraging some and or coerce some of them to accept cash and sign over their rights/membership to this contractor.
This contractor must not be allowed to use his alleged cane production, as an excuse to hijack this  Belle Vue Co-op and help to cover up fraud  and corruption.
We want the government and all Guyanese to know, that if the Belle Vue Peasant Cane farmers and their co-op were given their new lease, etc..,  that Mr. B. Balkarran and the Co-op Farmers committee negotiated for in 2009,  in a timely manner this year, based on their 5 years development & investment plan, (2010-2014), the farmers and their cooperative society, would have gotten over 500 acres in new row cane now. The production of cane would have been over 25,000 tons cane, or over 2,000 ton sugar, plus additional cane production in the other rehab or the other acreage of ratoon (old),  cane and also purchase and paid for 15 punts , I -290-MF Tractor, 1 plough, 1 dundee and the building a new office.                                                                                                                                                                      It was also reported, that despite the co-op and farmers complaint to Wales Estate Cane Farming Managing staff  they are continuing to giving this contractor priority on fertiliser, limestone, etc…, while the Belle Vue Co-op society and the bona fide members are not getting  their quota of  fertiliser, limestone, etc ., and sometime,  over 4 to 5 months late and very little.
Minister Nanda Gopaul, when will you stop ‘this farce and sham that is going on’, to deprive the bona fide members of the Belle Vue Cane Farmers’ Co-op Society?                                                                                                                                                                  The bona fide members, have been calling on you, to use the Laws of Guyana, Cooperative ACT: Chapter 88:01 and the cooperative society rules, to remove this July 10th, 2013 appointed unwanted committee, made up of non-members and get the bona fide members to elect from among their membership, a genuine Co-op Committee of Management.                                                                                                            It was reported, that on Wednesday July 10, 2013, at 10:30am, two officers from the Cooperative Department  in the Ministry of Labour,  had a so-called farmers meeting,  with approximately 35 people, of which only 9 person, are legal member & share holders of the Belle Vue Cane Farmers’ Marketing Co-operative Society, Reg # 967, West Bank  Demerara, Guyana. It was reported at this meeting that the bona fide  members present, objected to the presence, of these non-members and told the officers present, that the bona fide members, especially the affected members were not informed and invited to attend this meeting. Despite the members complain and objections, it was reported that the contractor representative and the two officers from the cooperative department, continue with this ‘sham ‘of a meeting and oversee the selection of seven persons to manage this co-operative society affairs. Five persons are from the group of non- members, including this contractor,  also they appointed a non-member , the former unfit and unwanted secretary /clerk ,  A. Manichan, back into the co-op affairs.
What has happened to the Belle Vue Co-op and the bona fide members rights?    This 56-year old  Belle Vue Cane farmers’ Marketing Cooperative Society, Registration # 967, is the owner of the society’s lease and the entire 704 acre land, that was negotiated and agreed to in December 2009, between Mr. Bhim, Guysuco-ceo, Minister Robert Persaud, Mr. B. Balkarran and the Belle Vue cooperative committee of management.
The 55 bona fide members are the legal share holders  and the collective owner of this cooperative society ( see 2009 membership record) and all the assets and investment. Based on the available society records and the CCDO, 2012 appointed IMC, interim report submitted to Minister of Labour, Dr. Gopaul, it was reported, that between 2010-2012 , there was no members meeting held to legally terminate and or expel no member (s) from this co-op. Also there were no ‘special members meeting’ and also no CCDO approval, to include this Contractor and his 23 clique, posing as new member into this Belle Vue Co-op.
It is reported, that this private contractor is just using 23 of his touts/hangers on as a ploy to help deceive the government,  that he is not alone taking over the co-operative land, but a group of people. These people never go inside Belle Vue backdam and cultivation, they do not know , where these plots and which field these plots aresituated in, they do not even see or no know the members, whose land that they are now assume to occupy, etc…  It appears this individual, only bring all these people, to the so call farmers meeting to mislead, gain dominance and control in the meeting.
The bona fide members want  Minister Gopaul, and Minister of Agriculture Dr. L. Ramsammy and or Minister Ally Baksh, to come to Belle Vue Scheme, West Bank, Demerara  as soon as possible and have a real members meeting with the legal and bona fide members, of this  56 years old Cooperative Society.  Give the bona fide members (the 2009 membership ) , a chance to use their co-op society rules and elect a genuine and legal members committee to manage their  society affairs, maintain/continue production, give back the members/farmers their land and respective plots  and hire a new clerk, to do their payroll, etc….                                                                                                                                                                                Then let this elected committee of nine bone fide members, with the assistance of an auditor from the co-operative department, carry out an audit, investigate all of the allegation of fraud, forgery, over payment of wages, under pricing and illegal sale and the disposal of the society assets. This elected committee, with the support of the bona fide members, will calculate all their losses, wilfully caused by this Contractor &Lumber Yard Owner, while he were and still occupying the members land,  etc.., Calculate all the money he received from the farmers Co-op Society  and the money that can be justify, he spend to plant cane, then workout the difference to see, how much he have to pay back to each members affected and their Co-op Society for losses.
This private contractor/Lumber Yard Owner, should and must be made to refund/pay back all the EU-Fair Trade Grant he collected from this  Belle Vue Cane Farmers’ Cooperative.                                                                                            The EU-Fair Trade Grant, paid to the Belle Vue Cane Farmers Co-op, was suppose to be use to help develop all the members cultivation, in this cane farmers’ cooperative society.  Guysuco cane farming Manager  and the Cooperative Officers, (CCDO)  know,  that since November-2009 and in January 2010, the cooperative members discuss and agreed to use this EU-Fair Trade Grant , that the members were expected to be given to their co-op,  to be use to help pay for the  co-op 5 years investment & development plan(2010-2014), so as to help develop all the members cultivations, to increase all the members production, increase income, their family living standard and purchase machinery for the co-op.                                                                                                                                                                           The 2009 legal members  also want the Minister of Labour to uphold the former Chief Cooperative Development Officer, (CCDO),  July 2010 directive to the Belle Vue Co-op committee, to rescind their decision to illegally dispossess members. Also the Minister, must assist, the co-op to expel all 23 people that the unfit Committee of management took money from and gave /sold them, the members and society land, without authorization.  And with the help of Guysuco directors, repossess all the lease land that was illegally sold to this contractor and return it back to the Belle Vue Cooperative Society and the affected members.
The Belle Vue Peasant cane farmers want the Guyana government and all the Guyanese people to know, for the past 36 months,  based on the cooperative rules and the Laws of Guyana; Chapter 88:01, Cooperative Societies,  the  bona fide members have signed and submitted 5 petitions, to the cooperative society committee of management, Regional # 3 Cooperative Officer, Guyana Chief Development Cooperative Officer, CCDO appointed 2012-IMC and the Minister of Labour.
Also several representations were made by the peasant cane farmers and their representatives, to  Guysuco, Mr. Bhim, Mr. Rajanarine, Mr. Walter Persaud and Dr. Gopaul, now Minister of Labour , responsible for Cooperative Societies in Guyana, and the Minister of Agriculture, but no assistance was given to these peasant cane farmers and their representatives, to get back their land, only promises.                                   It was also reported, that not even the October 2011-Cabinet directive to the Ministry of Labour ‘to intervene and repossess the land ‘and return it to the dispossess farmers and the their co-op,  was not carry out.
The Belle Vue Cooperative Society Members, are still prevented , to occupy and work there land and to carry out their agreed, 5 years investment & development plan. This contractor is still occupying the farmers land and refuse to move out. Also Guysuco and Wales Estate management are not helping out,  they have not give the farmers and their Cooperative Society a certify copy of the ‘December 2009 agreed to, ‘new 25 years lease and the promised Guysuco-ceo , approval letter’ to the cooperative Society, so that the Co-op can use the certify copy of this lease and letter, to obtain Agri-Loan and Grant.                                                                                                                                                                Minister Gopaul, the longer you and your Ministry,  wait and do not intervene and help these peasant cane farmers to regain their land, then more of them will get frustrated, low-esteem & demoralize, sick, STROKE and probably died because of this un-necessary humiliations, fraud, etc….
Minister Gopual, who will compensate the family of these members for the loss of life of their loved ones, due to unnecessary stress, low esteem, abuse, fear, etc…. For example, the  late Sarju Rajpat Wycliffe, S. Fereirrra,  SookLall Kheyman, Azim Baksh (a/k Nasim), Sukhdai Ramadhin, Mrs. Kunjie, Keith Morrison, and others.
The Belle Vue Co-op, the affected Cane Farmers and their family are appealing and want the Guyana Government,  the Ministry of Labour  and the MP in the Sectorial Committee, to come to their assistance and offer some legal  and material assistance to them,  so as to help them, get back their land, justice and compensation.